An independent audit has confirmed that more than $15 million worth of gold, silver and other precious metals is missing from the inventory of the Royal Canadian Mint—and the news that the crown corporation may be the victim of the largest gold heist in Canadian history has federal politicians fuming, the Ottawa Citizen reports. After conducting a thorough inventory review, investigators concluded that the shortfall—the equivalent of 44,400-ounce bars—cannot be explained away as a mere accounting error, and although the RCMP hasn’t yet been called in, Transport Minister John Baird has vowed that the mint “will be held accountable,” and has ordered the mint to put this year’s executive bonuses on hold until the mystery has been solved.
tags:Canada